scoutldr

Yes, "their" award can be worn "there".

Each District maintains a list of REGISTERED MBC. If they are not registered, MB earned are not valid and "could" be a problem when the Eagle app is filed. In reality, I don't think they are checked, as the list changes yearly. We don't have a MBUniv (thank God). All MB are earned either at camp, or with an approved counsellor. Most registered counsellors work within their own troop, but they still must be registered and have YP training.

As the Army says, "Peeing white, ready to fight!"

OSHA Campaign Focuses on Teen Worker Safety Teen workers are the focus of a new campaign launched recently by OSHA. The Teen Summer Job Safety Campaign is a multiyear project to increase awareness about workplace hazards among young workers and their parents and provide possible solutions to those hazards. The campaign will focus on industries in which young people are likely to work during their high-school and college years. The landscaping industry is the first to be targeted. This years campaign theme is LandscapingPlant Your Feet on Safe Ground. OSHA has developed a resource kit designed to help prevent injuries related to landscaping. The kit includes materials from OSHA, the Wage and Hour Division, EPA and other organizations on potential industry hazards, including machinery, sun and heat, and pesticides, and ways to avoid them. The kit can be downloaded from OSHAs Teen Workers web page at www.osha.gov/SLTC/teenworkers/index.html See a list of prohibited work activities for teen (under 18) workers: http://www.dol.gov/elaws/esa/flsa/docs/haznonag.asp(This message has been edited by scoutldr)

I've been told that when room and board are factored in, the minimum wage rule is satisfied. One of our perennial complaints is the lack of qualified and motivated camp staff. I think this illustrates why. In order to give staff adequate time off, you would need to run two shifts...hence more bodies on staff. What's the answer? The bottom line is that no one wants to pay $500-1200 a week for scout camp, which is the going rate for a non-scout camp (spend some time on Google if you don't believe me). Ours this year was $180 per scout and parents griped about the $20 increase. You get what you pay for.

I only wish our camp had no cell phone reception. Just got back, and had a 3rd year camper who cried every night after talking to Mommy on the cell phone she gave him (without our knowledge). Next year there will be a Troop rule...NO CELL PHONES. Either the cell phones stay home, or I don't go. I'm not spending every evening listening to crying from a 13 year old. I'm afraid I will have some un-scoutlike things to say to him.

Not sure what this discussion is all about. The Eagle Application cannot be procecessed without the signatures of the Unit Leader (SM or Venturing Advisor) and the Unit Committee Chair. No one else has a vote. If they refuse to sign, the scout should be told the reasons why and that he has the right to appeal to the District Advancement Committee. If this has been an ongoing problem, the scout should have been counselled along the way (Star, Life) and this should come as no surprise. It's not fair to push a scout along by rubber stamping his book and then saying "I don't think you're Eagle material". If he's not Eagle material, then he wasn't Life or Star material, either.

Sounds like, as a last resort, she is playing hardball. Any district or council activity needs to have accounting of the funds collected. The event planner needs to submit a budget which outlines expenses and expected income. At the end of the event, the books need to be reconciled so that there is a record of where the money went. This is not unreasonable, and is probably necessary in order to comply with the laws of non-profit corporations.

Can't quote chapter and verse right now, but I believe the short answer is "NO". You are only eligible to join the lodge which serves the Council in which you are registered, and you may only wear the lodge flap if you are a member in good standing (dues paid). If you want to belong to another lodge, I believe you must transfer your BSA membership to a unit in that Council.

I grew up in the 50's and 60's. What were we exposed to? Polio Chicken Pox Measles Mumps typhoid/tetanus (from swimming in flooded streets) Broken arms Sunburn (routinely and severely) Second hand smoke (at home and in the car - constantly) No seat belts or airbags Cars filled with sharp chrome stuff Jellyfish Heat (no A/C in school) Killer toys (like arrows, BB guns and gasp-sheath knives) Child molesters (my wife was a victim - her best friend's father) Dirt and germs So tell me again why it's worse now?(This message has been edited by scoutldr)

A recent article in the paper said we can't use the word "obese"...it's too harsh and hurts their self-esteem.

Agree with the above. This is a local council issue. Our council issues a UofS temporary patch with "segments" for each level of training which surrounds the patch. All go on the right pocket as a temporary local issue patch.

Short answer...no. If a prospective staffer has the skills and personality, and is willing to work for what amounts to one third of what they could make at McDonalds, we don't turn them away.

Just a reminder that anything, including Eagle patches and brand new presentation kits are routinely available on Ebay. Most Ebay sellers don't give a rat's patoot about the BSA rules or customs. If BSA were serious about it, they would ensure that brand new Eagle stuff is more tightly controlled, e.g., one presentation kit per approved application...I would even go so far as to imprint each one with a serial number for tracking purposes. Apparently there are councils where you can buy whatever you want and then resell on Ebay.

Oyster beds are created by the oystermen dumping empty shells back into the water. That's what the newly hatched oyster larvae hold onto while they grow their own shell which attaches to the other shells. Othewise, they would just be plankton. In this area, the Lynnhaven oyster was once described by the English settlers as "as big as dinner plates". Now, we are lucky to have 2-3 inch sizes. I believe it was Thos. Jefferson who decreed, "'Twas a brave man that first et an oyster!" Glad your ship enjoyed the trip. I'm adding it to my list of things to do.

I saw Trevorum's response before it was "edited by a staff member" with no explanation. I saw nothing offensive in it. As Beavah would say, "wassup wit dat, eh?"

In my district, there are usually more Cub SCout awards than anything else. Sounds like a local problem. Having sat on the awards committee, the real problem is that we can't award someone if they are not nominated. Nominations have to come from individuals...there is no "nominating" committee. Every year, we have awards that do not get awarded, simply because no one took the time to submit a nomination. Frequently, all we get is a name and unit number, and the rest of the form is blank. Sorry, but we can't do anything with that. So if you know of a deserving leader, YOU need to take the time to submit a complete write up detailing the person's accomplishments. The same applies to Silver Beaver and Vigil honor in the OA. I like the idea of a unit volunteering to provide a child care service.

If I were an aquatics director, I would be VERY careful about swim checks not done under my (or my staff's) supervision. I would have to personally know who conducted the checks and be confident that they were following the same strict standards. Unfortunately, the most subjective criterion, "in a strong manner" is the one most widely interpreted. I have seen swim checks done where, if the scout can cover the distance by thrashing long enough, he will pass. "Thrashing" is not a recognized stroke. The swim check requirement comes from the G2SS: . Ability Groups Divide into three ability groups: Nonswimmers, beginners, and swimmers. Keep each group in its own area. Nonswimmers have not passed a swimming test. Beginners must pass this test: jump feetfirst into water over the head in depth, level off, swim 25 feet on the surface. Stop, turn sharply, resume swimming as before and return to the starting place. Swimmers must pass this test: jump feet first into water over the head in depth. Level off and swim 75 yards in a strong manner using one or more of the following strokes: sidestroke, breaststroke, trudgen, or crawl; then swim 25 yards using an easy resting backstroke. The 100 yards must be completed in one swim without stops and must include at least one sharp turn. After completing the swim, rest by floating. These classification tests should be renewed annually, preferably at the beginning of the season.

I've had the opposite happen. When checking in for U of SCouting this year, they told me I was "Faculty" and did I need any help carrying my materials in. I said, "Sorry, nobody told me I was faculty and have nothing prepared." So the UofS Dean of Boy Scouting showed up in the class and said, "well, you all probably know more about this subject than I do, so just talk among yourselves for the next hour." Unfortunately, we are all volunteers doing the best we can(most of the time), and sometimes communication is not what it should be.

Scouts using inhalers must bring at least 2. One to carry and one back-up in the health lodge. I would not send my son to a camp that did not allow them to carry an inhaler. We also have new forms to fill out. Must be a new camp certification standard. A form must be filled out and signed by the parent for EACH DOSE to be given. No form - no meds. Adults are also supposed to turn in all meds to the Health lodge, which I think is excessive. Our ASM refuses. I guess the down side is that if we find him unconscious somewhere, none of us knows where he keeps his meds and 911 is at least an hour away.

Caldesene powder also works well, without the "tingling" effect. Another "must" is not to walk around all day in a wet bathing suit. I have been getting my generic "Gold Bond" at the local Dollar store. Just look for the orange bottle. I usually buy 3 or 4 at a time and pour them all together.

"If our mission is to help young people make ethical choices over their lifetimes, how can we do that if as adults we make decisions based on a past precedent, or the fear of setting a new one?" I don't have a fear of precedents. Precedents are good. My fear is of unethical precedents, because then everyone expects the same unethical consideration. Presumably troop funds are raised for a purpose. Does the Unit Budget Plan have a line item for "Eagle Project Donations"? If not, then you're done. All you have to tell the parents is that "there is nothing designated for that purpose in our budget." If the committee decides this is something that should be funded, by all means put it in the budget and raise funds for it...for future projects. An alternative is that funds in the Eagle candidate's "Scout Account" can be used for funding their projects. Your Eagle project doubled in price? Then sell more popcorn, or scale back the project. Probably the most important lesson of an Eagle project is that planning and leading includes "funding".

Has he tried steroids? (Just kidding!!!!) Wearing a belt loop "bandolier" like the Frito Bandito (is that still politically correct?) would just look silly and would send the Uniform Police to shove him up against the wall to "assume the position". Perhaps the answer should be that belt loops are like temporary pocket patches...much as we'd like to we can't posssibly wear them all and he just needs to decide which are his favorites. Another option might be drill small holes in the back of the beltloop and sew them onto his red patch vest for display.

Don't know the "book answer" but I would recommend a "spotter" (think gymnastics) who can immediately step in and "rescue" or break the fall of a scout who becomes entangled. Two feet of water is not enough to break a fall if they land head first. "Fun without paraplegia" is my motto.

IF it's the same 45 people attending every year, then rotating the location isn't working. I would prefer to have the same location (centerpoint of your District) every year. If it's 2 hours from north to south, that means the longest drive for anyone would be an hour one-way. With events of this type, I think you have to assume the 80-20 rule. The same 20% of the people will attend 80% of the events. I have observed the same thing with RT and OA meetings.